Galvanic cell.



d ll ilr ll i 11 A 5 1m Ulla in a is it JOHN snunnns, ore nosu'sunc; otaneoiv, ASSIGNGR ro cLivEn r. cosiioiv, RGSEBURG, unseen.

GALVANIC CELL.

Specification of "Letters Iiatent.

No Brawing.

fl 1 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN SANDERS, a

citizen of the United Stat-es, residing in the city of Roseburg, county of Douglas, and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Galvanic Cells, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to galvanic cells, and more particularly to improvements incathodes for galvanic cells.

The niain'object of my invention is to provide an improved cathode tor galvanic cells which shall be capable of generating more electric current, and which is practically in destructible, in that it can be repeatedly and quickly depolarized Without any perceptible damage thereto, thus making it as good as new after each depolarization.

l have discovered. that palladium and rhodium possess peculiar properties which in very special Way adapt them for use in the manufacture of cathodes for galvanic cells,

d. so far as l are aware they have never belalladiun'i and rhodium 1' re been so used.

. have substantially the same properties or characteristics, with the exception that rhodium when used alone Will not absorb or occlude hydrogen gas to the extent that pal ladiuin will, but by combining rhodium with palladium in the manufacture of cathode, the rhodium makes possible a much quicker depolarization of the cathode than when the cathode is made of palladium alone. lhis is due to the peculiar catalytic property of rhodium when used in combination with palladium, and While an improved cathode can be made of palladium alone, my preferred construction is a combination o1 the two for the reason just mentioned.

A cathode made of a combination of palladium and rhodium can be used in exactly the same Way as are other cathodes, with greatly increased eiliciency and With the special advantage that it be more quickly, and repeatedly depolarized Without affecting its usefulness and efficiency.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of cathodes, Whether made of a combination of palladium and rhodium, or of other suitable metals, that is, to so construct the cathode that the greatest possible surface is secured for absorbing or occluding hydrogen gas, Eor it is WGll-lU'IOWD that the capacity of any galvanic cell to produce electric current depends absolutely upon ladiuin a Application filed July'lS, 1915. Serial lilo. 40,7155.

by a description of the preferred application thereof. To manufacture my improved cathode, Whether of a combination of palladium and rhodium, or of palladium al ne, the palladium, or both, (s the case ma be, is fused, or melted, with a suiiicient quantity of Zinc to dissolve the same, zinc being used because it will fuse a comparatively low teinperature and will then convert the palladium and rhodium into the same molten condition, and also because it can afterward be dissolved out 01": the cathode. This molten mixture is then poured into suitable forms, such as may be desired for the cathode, and after it is set, or hardened, it. is subjected to a bath of diluted sulphu ic dissolves, or cats out. the zinc, the cathode porous, or at a spot in using this 0 nstruction it i the cathode -plate be compare ivthat all of the Zinc in the comp tion will be dissolved. Otherwise the zinc would cause certain local or disturbing curre' the cathode.

In order to make a thicker, or heavier cathode of my newly discovered metals, and which shall embody my improved construe tion. as Where greater endurance is required in the battery, ldissolve the palladium in any of the acids capable of dissolving the same, preferably acqui-reg'ia, then add sufficient alkali to make an alkali e solution, and sufficient pure alcohol to hold solutio nd then cause the p 1 on by the addition.

This resulting precig iitate is ionia chlorid. or palladium bla If thi aiier cathode is to be made o t combination of the palladium and which is my preferred or notion, this cipitate is removed one, rhodium in fine powdered condition. is coinbincd therewith, the composition bein mixed, or kneaded, into a honio neous i es, and then essed into the d old tosecure the to sired t The cor arcs next. hca suflicie t0 cause the evaporation or amironie a chlorin, which leaves a pal uiuinrhodiuni cathode of porous or sponge-like construction embodying my invention.

A cathode made of palladium and rhodium, according to my invention can be depolarized by ignition in a very few minutes, and this process of burning out the hydrogen from the cathode may be repeated without any apparent damage to the cathode, and, on the other hand it seems to improve the cathode by increasing its ability to occlude hydrogen. As stated, the combination of rhodium with the palladium in the manu-- facture of the cathode facilitates, or nakes possible this quicker depolarization of the cathode. My improved cathodes can also be quickly depolarized by submersion in ammonium per-sulfate, or other solution which is capable of giving oli' oxygen, or they can be depolarized by an electric current in the same manner that cathodes now in use are depolarized.

I claim:

A cathode for galvanic cells made of a combination of palladium and rhodium.

JOHN 1*. SANDERS.

Nitnesses:

ALICE BLAUK, O. P. CosHow. 

